Gathering Forces: Zezra Aftermath
by FordLey
Summary: A little moment between Zeb and Ezra after Gathering Forces. Zezra friendship but there's a hint of slash if you read between the lines.


Gathering Forces: Zezra Aftermath

Sabine watched as a smiled spread across Ezra's face at the sight of the holophoto of a three-year-old version of himself and his parents, as happy as could be. It warmed the artist's heart to see her metaphorical brother smiling once again after a dark battle with the Empire.

"Happy birthday Ezra Bridger," she said before leaving the room. Sabine pasted Zeb just outside the door. "Give him a minute before going in there."

Zeb did as the girl had told him and waited beside the door. However, not ten seconds after Sabine left Ezra spoke.

"You know, you don't have to wait the whole minute standing there," Ezra turned his head around to look at the Lasat. "Come on, I won't bite." He teased.

Zeb shook his head for momentarily forgetting the kid could sense his presence. "So, that's your family?"

"Yeah," Ezra said. Zeb leaned against the padawan's seat.

"Hmm, you were kind of cute back then," Zeb said with a half-smile on his purple face.

Ezra turned to his elder with mocked offense, "So you're saying I'm not cute now?"

"Maybe your eyes," had come out of Zeb's mouth without thinking and felt slightly awkward afterwards after realizing what exactly he had just said.

Ezra was taken aback and blushes a light shade of red. Zeb cleared his throated. "Um, what I-what I was…is your eyes aren't bad to look at."

Sadly, that didn't make the atmosphere any more comfortable and the blush was still on Ezra's cheeks. "Well, um…awkward right?" the teen asked.

"Yeah, yeah," the Lasat agreed, "awkward."

They didn't speak for a moment and it was silent and uneasy. Unknowing what to say or do after Zeb's slip up. Then Zeb remembered what he came in there for.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Zeb asked.

"Tell you what," Ezra said confounded.

"That you were born on Empire Day," Orrelios said. Ezra got quiet. "Ezra?" the said teen looked at the beast like man. "Why didn't you tell me, or any of us, your crewmates, for that matter?"

Ezra didn't say anything for a long time. He didn't know what to tell the Lasat. He wasn't good at talking about his feelings since there was never a need to do so in the past eight years of living alone.

Zeb crossed his arms together and started tapping his foot lightly. He was getting impatient with how much time has passed and still no answer. Sighing in frustration, Zeb turned around to leave.

"I didn't want you to hate me," that stopped Zeb in his tracks. The Lasat turns back to Ezra.

"What are you talking about," Zeb goes back to a saddened Ezra with a confounded expression on his face.

"….You hate the Empire more than any of us…and I thought that you wouldn't like me if you knew-"

"Now stop right there," Garazeb interrupted the teenage boy with a scold. "Ezra, it's not your fault you were born on Empire Day. Yes, it's very unfortunate that you were born on this day from all of the others in this month, but people don't get to choose which day they were born on."

"Technically some do," Ezra pointed out, "but they're just liars."

"That is true," Zeb had to agree with that. "But you shouldn't be upset with something that's not in your control.

Ezra sighs and runs his fingers through his dark blue hair.

"Look, the point is, I would have gotten you something if I knew beforehand," he said this as he leaned against Ezra's seat.

"Really?" Ezra looked at the Lasat with questioning blue eyes.

"Yes," said Zeb. "And believe me kid, I wasn't looking forward to this day either, but now we don't have to think of this day the day the Empire had risen."

"How," Ezra asked.

"'How?' What do you mean "how"," Zeb said quizzical, "it is the day you came be of course! Every year, we'll celebrate your birth on this day, not the Empire. And just because you were born on this day doesn't mean that you're a disgrace, quite the opposite actually."

"Zeb, I-"

"Ezra," Zeb places his hand on the padawan's shoulder to make him look him in the eye, "you are _not_ a disgrace."

Ezra was starting to believe what Zeb was saying. He felt the sudden urge/aching need to hug Zeb but he refrained from doing so.

Ezra's stomach suddenly growled real loudly causing Zeb to laugh and his blush coming back, full force.

"Hungry kid?"

Ezra nodded, face red from blushing profoundly.

"Well, we didn't get a chance to have dinner," Zeb said, "come on. Let's go to the kitchen before Kanan tries to cook something."

Ezra chuckled, "Okay."

The Force sensitive teen started to get up when he yelp from tripping. Zeb instinctively caught Ezra in his arms.

"Whoa," he said, "are you okay kid?" Ezra nodded, though a little forced. "Ok, um," Zeb lets go of Ezra, "to the kitchen?"

"Yes," Ezra answers. Zeb turns and starts to leave. "Zeb?" The said Lasat turns back to Ezra.

"Ye-," whatever Zeb was expecting, it certainly wasn't a hug. Ezra had his arms around Zeb's waist and his face buried into the elder's chest.

"Thank you," Ezra thanked the Lasat.

Garazeb found himself wrapping his own large arms around Ezra's small body. "You're welcome."

Ezra didn't want the hug to end, but his stomach growled as if to say, _'Okay, enough with the mushy moment. Feed me!'_

"We better get you some food before your stomach eats itself," Zeb joked making Ezra laugh.

They pulled back from the hug and smiled at each other. Silently, the two made their way to the kitchen.

"Hey Zeb, do you think we can hug again tonight?" Ezra asked blushing. _What am I thinking, _he thought embarrassed at himself. _He's not going to say yes._

Zeb had raised a skeptical brow but shrugs. "Okay."

Ezra looks at him, "Seriously?"

"Yes," Zeb said, "you've been all by yourself for half of your life. You need all the comfort that you can get."

Ezra couldn't believe how much Zeb cared for him. A fuzzy feeling crept inside his chest cavity that he's never felt before. "Thank you. Again." Ezra smiled humorously.

"You're welcome, again." Zeb returned the smile.


End file.
